Riverside High School Development 17Nov05

PUBLIC WORKS, LAUNCESTON 17/11/05 (CURRAN/HOUSE/MILNE/FOSTER) 1

THE PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS MET IN HENTY HOUSE, LAUNCESTON ON THURSDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2005 RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT SCOTT CURRAN, ARCHITECT, ARTAS; ROXANNE HOUSE, PRINCIPAL, RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL; PETER MILNE, PRESIDENT, RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATION; MICHELLE FOSTER, CO-ORDINATOR (WORKS AND SERVICES), DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WERE CALLED, MADE THE STATUTORY DECLARATION AND WERE EXAMINED. CHAIR (Mr Harriss) - Can I say on behalf of the committee, to the principal, Roxanne, and

all the others who facilitated the tour of the school this morning, thank you, particularly thanks to Ashley Bodell and Keely Blest for your time this morning, representing the school students and indeed for giving up your time after school. Since we facilitated a time for you to be out of the classrooms this morning, it is probably only appropriate and just that you be with us this afternoon, so thank you very much for all of that. It was particularly valuable for the committee to see the conditions under which the students work and indeed the staff work and then it helps us as we consider the project with the evidence which you will give to us now.

We would like now to hear your verbal submission. We have had the written submission

for some time of course and have had the opportunity to go through that and of course, as I said earlier, the site visit enhanced that submission. Who is going to lead off?

Ms FOSTER - I am going to lead off very simply with an introduction. We would like to

start with me opening, then Roxanne House will speak as the principal of the school and then we would like to lead into a power point presentation from the architects and general discussion on how we got to the design we have today. In closing Peter will speak to the evidence and the school association acceptance and contribution. I wanted to add a quick sentence about the way that the department identifies a school for capital investment. We have a priority identification and prioritisation process. One of the most important points for Riverside High School was the school's capacity to cater for enrolment numbers. This has been quite an important consideration in identifying Riverside for funding. In addition to that, we also consider asset age, which in this case is quite old, and service delivery aspects and policy direction. One of the key elements for service delivery is the implementation of the Essential Learnings. As you probably saw this morning, that is quite constrained even in basic teaching areas in the school to meet contemporary standards.

In that regard, we identified Riverside. It was approved through the State Budget last

year and we have been working very busily since then to come up with the best way to apply the funds. We had an overall view at the time of how the funds would be applied to bring the school up to standard in certain areas. We can't do the whole school so we have gone through a process that initially identified funding areas and where we would apply money but, once again, we review that through the planning process and make changes if appropriate.


Ms HOUSE - As indicated in the report, building developments at Riverside High School

have always seemed to be a reaction to increasing numbers. What is exciting about this project is that it incorporates some future thinking and embraces the notion of flexibility in learning. What it will do is enable the traditional elements which are so important to work with and be embraced by twenty-first century pedagogy. At Riverside High we learn by doing, investigation, thinking, testing and trialling, bouncing ideas of each other, seizing opportunities and creating new ones where none exist. Often we reflect quietly or read a screen, a book or a newspaper. We work alone and together and we need our general learning areas to enable all this to happen. We believe that the project presented in the report will allow for this and more. The key is flexibility, a vital component of this redevelopment.

When I came to Riverside High School four years ago as the new principal, I was

stunned by three things: the age and size of the classrooms, how well they were maintained, and how well everyone made the best of what they had. Having just come from a redeveloped Queechy High School and the new Brooks High School, it was a bit of shock to see the drama and music areas in particular; that the work produced was of such a high standard was amazing. What we are looking for now is connected performing arts spaces which can be accessed by all our community, a focus on our health and fitness areas and learning spaces that are multipurpose. We believe that this project will have benefits not only for our school but for the many community groups which access the hall and the gym. Indeed, the increased flexibility of the hall in particular could enable more community groups to use the space at the one time. As I said at the beginning, this is an exciting project and we are really keen to see where it can take us.

CHAIR - Thank you. We will go to the Powerpoint presentation now. Mr CURRAN - As mentioned previously, the key to this scheme is flexibility. When we

were looking at redesigning the school, flexibility was one of the key issues that we looked at. As part of our brief, we were also asked to have a look at the school in an overall context to identify the needs that the school had now and also any potential needs that the school might have into the future, and any work that we do now shouldn't impede any future work that the school wished to undertake so that anything we do now leads on to future planning and future development of the school.

The things that we started to have a look at initially were the location of the canteen,

which is currently under building 3; the relationship with this building to this courtyard space that comes back into this area; the ability for the school to provide for the function area to be used outside of school hours; also the ability for the school to have early morning breakfast and things that could involve the school community. It seemed to us to be an obvious location for this to go into this area given that a lot of the food preparation is currently in this area. That allowed us to have an area where the canteen was and, if you remember back to this morning, we walked through a door into an art area that was underneath. Art is currently located in the top of building 2B. By doing that it enabled us to have art over two levels and to complete a project that had been undertaken previously with the MDT area. Had we been able to complete this, this would have seen a synergy between art and the MDT area to allow for flexible learning.


The next area that we looked at was to update outdated learning areas, which is located in building 1A. You can see from the diagram that we have - and this is a very early master plan - the sorts of things that we were thinking about which were to have classrooms that were linked together to give the opportunity to be able to link through but to have staff areas and to have break-out spaces in between. As we developed through and identified the needs of the school, it became fairly obvious to us that this wouldn't provide us with enough flexibility and that if we were to provide areas that blocked the opportunities for classrooms to link we were doing a real disservice to the school and really boxing ourselves into a corner that we didn't want to go into.

There was a lot of discussion about where drama should go, the future of drama, how

drama interrelate to other areas, how they are not necessarily compatible with other areas; they need to have break-out spaces. The space that they have generally needs to be carefully considered in its location and also in the type of environment that you give.

The current music area pushes back into an area which was the old library and also into a

classroom. When we were considering music, the initial thought that we had was to keep music in this area but to refurbish and after consulting staff and going through a number of different scenarios it was discussed and the idea was brought forward that a possibility for music and drama was to bring it down and link it in with the hall and the opportunities that this created for us certainly realigned with the ideals that we had about creating flexible spaces. Initially our idea was to build a new music area and to incorporate drama into this area here.

When we started to run some numbers over the top of this scheme, it became fairly

obvious to us that a new purpose-built music area in this size just wasn't achievable with the budget that we had. When we discussed this with our steering committee, the ideal situation for us was to do a number of areas to basically solve the short-term problems that they have at the moment but to do everything to a standard that didn't need to be redone. It was made very plainly clear to us that any development that we did needed to be completed in its entirety and that there were to be no things that were to be left to be done by the school and, as a result of that, after looking at the budgets, we settled back down to a plan of redoing the general learning areas, the locker bay, the music and the drama.

After that decision was made we went back to the school again and went through another

consultative process to see what impact that would have and to see what sort of spaces we would need to provide to enable us to do that. The general idea of providing all the GLAs in this area through here was well received and, because we now gobble up the corridor that runs through the middle, it was necessary for us to relocate the lockers. We have taken the lockers and we have relocated them into an area that is currently an outside undercover area. The locker bay is located fairly centrally for us. We felt that this was a really good opportunity to remove the lockers, to remove some of the congestion that occurs in the corridor, to pick up the corridor space which if we had to rebuild is a fairly expensive exercise. It is a good opportunity to utilise space in a good, cost-effective manner.

The thinking behind moving music was partly instigated because of the need for

performances that occur in the gym. At the moment the piano is taken out, wheeled across a path and then brought back into the gym, and by the time it gets there it is badly


out of tune and it has suffered some damage. That was one of the main driving factors behind moving music. The other was that, given the acoustic requirements that you have for music - and you heard them today - when the drums are going and the piano is going and everybody is really having a go, you have to be able to provide an area where people can go to practise their music but not impact on everybody else. The storeroom that we had at the back of the gym is very well constructed, it is of very heavy construction, and it is a good opportunity for us to relocate music and gives us a good base to start. When we did that it identified the need for a new conditioning room, along with some other stores. So, after consulting with the PE staff, we are providing them with new stores and we have given PE staff the ability to open this conditioning room out into the gymnasium.

With the music we are looking at getting a high acoustic grading onto all these walls, so

these walls will all be new walls. They will all have acoustic doors with acoustic seals. These doors will have windows in them so that the staff can walk along the corridor and monitor the students practising music. They will also have, back in this staffroom, an intercom system that will enable them to sit in this area and listen to a student who is practising music. If they press the button and there is no music coming out of this practice room, then they have the opportunity to walk down the corridor, look through the window and see just exactly what is going on. These practice rooms will also be fitted with strobe lights so that if a fire alarm goes off, a visual warning will come forth and show the students that they need to leave the building. If the students get a little bit overenthusiastic and start to play the music a little bit too loudly, there is an automatic cut-off switch that basically prevents them from going over the permitted maximum decibel rating in those areas.

We have a nice big store to store musical instruments. One of the issues we currently

have is that expensive instruments get damaged because they do not have sufficient storage space. You will also notice that we have a number of different sized and different shaped rooms. That is to allow flexibility for the different types of instruments and the number of people that we have using this area; larger areas for larger groups of two and three, smaller areas just for single practice.

We have also set this area up for music. Whilst we have labelled it music, it also is a

flexible space. If any of these practice rooms are not being utilised, it gives us the ability to basically use these rooms for other activities such as drama rehearsal, poetry recital, all of those things, which really adds to the flexibility of this space as well.

I will talk about drama before we move up into the first floor of music. The problems

that we have associated with the existing hall are that it is just one large open space and it does not give us the ability to break it into smaller spaces. If we have a number of smaller groups that want to use the hall they are not able to use it at the moment because if one group comes in, if they are noisy or loud, then basically they take over the who le hall and nobody else can work in there. What we have done is divide this up into what we call studios. What we are proposing is an acoustic door to go across the front of the stage. That will enable this area to be used as a practice studio, as a dance studio or as a classroom if a classroom is required.

We have a new drama store on the back of the stage to allow for equipment to be moved

backwards and forwards. Then we have divided this large space through here to provide


another two spaces. The actual configuration of the hall can remain as it is. It can still be a large open space or it can be divided down into one, two, three or four spaces. There is another acoustic door down through this area as well.

The existing kitchen stays where it currently is. This is providing for maximum

flexibility for anybody that needs to use the hall. If there is a small group they can utilise this. If there is a group that needs a larger space they can utilise this. If a group comes in that wants to utilise the whole of the hall then that is still available to them. Entry and exit to these studio spaces are from outside, so we are planning some new doors that enable entry and exit into those spaces. Putting new doors in enables us to move into those spaces and to not interrupt people that are currently using those. The doors are easy to open, they are easy to manoeuvre. They have walls above the top so when you are inside this space it is acoustically sealed from the space next door.

This is a model that we have used in a number of other areas and it is a really successful

model. These spaces become really valuable sought after spaces and the flexibility enables a multitude of end-users - drama, classroom, community activities, tae kwon do. All sorts of things can still be utilised in this area, so the amenity of this area is not lost. The amenity of this area is enhanced. We have also taken one space, which is quite a large space, and provided probably three additional spaces on top of what we already have.

At the moment entering into the gymnasium is through a small door here. What we are

doing now is opening up the entry so that entry into the gym is down through here and so that access for disabled users is enhanced. We are looking at reworking the paths around the front of this area to help with the problems with this part at the moment and to really make this building fully accessible.

Above the top of the music area we are proposing two classroom spaces that have an

acoustic door so that they can be provided into two spaces. They can be opened up and become one large space and a computer area where computers can be used to generate music. We have a new foyer entry, and a disabled access ramp comes up through the front into this area and then into the front. The advantage of this is that it gives us an opportunity in the future to build across this space to take advantage of the mezzanine floor to enable us to do works in the future for cameras, for audio visual, for all sorts of different things, yet still with views down onto the stage from this high level.

We are keeping the existing gymnasium. On the south elevation, this is the view

standing on the path where we spoke firstly today, looking at the site of the existing gymnasium.

The new disabled access ramp comes up from that laneway that we were talking about.

This is the new entry into music that we formed through here on this level. We have a blade wall through here to stop the wind from this direction, a covered area over the top of these doors to protect from rain, and a highlight window above the top of the middle classroom to enable natural light to come down into that middle classroom. There is lots of natural light back down into this area.


This area through here is the conditioning room that we have. There is a staff office through here and some windows that enable supervision back into that conditioning room, and then back along into the existing entry.

The materials are a combination of the materials already used on the gymnasium. There

is Colorbond custom orb, which matches the material on the gym at the moment; cement sheet with an express joint; Colorbond roofing with eaves overhang and basically painting this building with some highlight colours to really merge in with the existing gym and with the existing hall.

We come back now into the area where we are redeveloping the classrooms. When we

first spoke this morning we were standing here. These are the stairs that come back up into that corridor. We are going to do is come through this building and strip this building out, leaving the roof and the walls, to create some flexible spaces. The scheme that we are presenting, we believe, provides maximum flexibility and takes into consideration all the things that we discussed in our steering committee.

We are looking to create a space that can be opened into a large open space that can be

utilised by large class groups or grade groups, the ability to shut these walls down to provide smaller areas and the ability to have withdrawal spaces. These are acoustic doors through here. These doors fold across and come back and hook onto a post that we have through here. These are acoustic doors as well which come back across and hook onto a post and slide back across into here, effectively making a single classroom in this area or the ability to join these two classrooms together or to have four classrooms. So we have lots of acoustic doors and lots of different configurations.

We also have wet areas in here with some sinks to enable wet activities to occur and the

ability also to withdraw into smaller rooms. If classes are working and the teacher has the need for smaller groups to withdraw into this area, then that also enables us to withdraw into those. Because we have taken out the central corridor we need to have other access to these classrooms. We are providing a new walkway outside the building. It has a verandah over the top and will enable access into these classrooms. Because of the library that comes in, this room here has access from here and access through this withdrawal space as well.

The doors that split in the middle that run right through here are a solid acoustic door

giving visual separation between this side and this side. The doors that are going in here are half-height glazed so that the teachers who are sitting in the staffroom up here can see right through the classroom. That was as a direct result of conversations that we had with the school.

In summary, we are taking an existing building, basically updating it, stripping it out to

provide maximum flexibility and giving the school the ability, with these acoustic doors to provide single classrooms, larger classrooms, double classrooms, four classrooms combined but also having withdrawal spaces dotted around. We have also located staff into this area. Previously we were looking at locating staff through these areas but it took away the flexibility. Placing them in this area here enables us to have the flexibility to do this through this space. It provides staff with a good working environment that gives them corridor access, visual access into these classrooms, and also a space that they can work in and call their own.


We have a small area through here where we have a photocopier and a small sink, so

staff have a small resource area that they can access through here as well. This link back from the main building, through this undercover way, through this building and back up to the canteen is a really important link for us. We see this as being an excellent opportunity to provide areas where students can sit around in landscaped areas. There are a series of small retaining walls that step down so that students can sit in and around this area. They provide a really good spot and flexible areas where they can sit outside the building.

This is a section through the building showing the existing building fabric. It shows the

existing ceiling and trusses we have with the existing roof. Basically, we gut through this area here. It shows the extension of the roof and the covered way on either side.

This is a drawing that shows the classrooms. This is where we were standing today and

this is the old corridor that runs right through here. This is the configuration as it would be if all the doors were open, so you can see one large open space with the ability to have large functions and displays. It is a really flexible space. The doors close to make the classrooms into dual classrooms, once again with the ability to break out into the withdrawal space. The configuration with all the doors closed creates a series of eight classrooms. They are still linked by these withdrawal spaces and access, as we said before, externally through these doors. This is a view looking back through with all the doors open. There is a function for outside users there today and it creates a large open space that is open for any number of different users.

Because we are fairly tight on classrooms, this will need to be carefully staged to enable

us to have a number of classrooms available so that the school can be conducted as usual. This was another reason behind the initial concept of moving drama and music out of this building. If they were to come into this area we would lose the ability to decant classes. Starting to build in this area here for music and drama gives us the ability to continue business as usual through this area. We still maintain the gymnasium space. All the work that is associated with music can be carried out through here and the work through the hall can be staged as well. We can work our way backwards so that a number of those spaces can continued to be used while construction is under way.

The first stage is music and drama, and also the commencement of the locker bay. That

enables us to get the lockers out of the corridor so that we can commence work in this area through here.

Stage two - music has moved out of this area and these areas through here become

available as temporary classrooms. We are starting at this end because of an electrical switchboard. That necessitates our having to start at this end and work our way back, so we would have four classrooms available, plus two classrooms along here.

The final stage - drama and music are finished, the classroom and staffroom are finished.

They will be available for occupation and then can we finalise the project by completing the last stage of the classrooms.

CHAIR - Is there anything further you need to add, Scott, after that Powerpoint presentation?


Mr CURRAN - Not at this stage, unless there are some questions. Mr MILNE - As chairman of the school association, I would like to offer the perspective of

that association, which is made up of parents, staff, students and the broad community. It has been a concern of the school association that we have not really kept up with our facilities in line with the growing student population. These concerns are not recent. For a long period regular comment has been received on the facilities in the school from the various parent and community bodies. Our school has an excellent reputation for achieving high standards academically and culturally and in sport. However, as reported in the submission, you would have noticed that the physical state of the school reflects a poor image and is not consistent with the students having a positive image of themselves. Ultimately the school association wants to ensure that our children are receiving the best education possible. However, that is currently being interrupted by depreciating facilities that decrease the education outcomes, and that is when we have great concerns at the school.

This new development will bring the school to a level where we can accommodate the

increasing number of students and prevent compromise in the curriculum, plus also look forward and take the future requirements of the school into account, not just respond to the existing accommodation issues. For example, when I refer to accommodation I do not just mean students but storage facilities. It is not a great reflection on the school when music equipment needs to be stored in old toilets.

I guess now is the time for us to look ahead and, from a school community perspective, I

look forward to being involved with the redevelopment of this school. Mrs NAPIER - I notice in the submission that, of all the areas identified, the re-roofing areas

have been identified as yet to be done. With the roof configuration on top of that main classroom block that has been re-done, is that a gutter type or is that a peak roof type? I think you said it was peak roof.

Mr CURRAN - It is, and the roof of that building has been done previously so we don't need

to do any work on that building at all in terms of the roof. Mrs NAPIER - So it is not envisaged that you try to bring some sunlight in through the roof?

You would do it only by the walls. Mr CURRAN - Yes. We have, I think, two new roof lights in the end classroom that butts

onto the library. When we were standing next to the stairs and looking down the corridor there was a classroom on the left-hand side that had louvres in it, and that only has a small area of windows that we can have access to, so we are looking at putting some roof lights into that classroom to get some natural light into that one.

Mrs NAPIER - So the re-roofing issues that are identified here are for other buildings? Mr CURRAN - Yes. Mrs NAPIER - It looked like a logical development, of using existing space at least. Has

some consideration been given to forward planning for development of alternative classroom space, as you did the reconfiguration of the music et cetera?


Mr CURRAN - No, not outside this project. Mr HALL - I notice in the development proposal with the figures there, the contingency is

about $100 000, which is about 5 per cent or a bit less of the total capital cost. Is that in the ball park? We had a reference a while ago where the contingency was something like 20 per cent, so are you being a bit conservative here, or what is happening?

Mr CURRAN - No, our standard contingency that we would run through on a project would

be 5 per cent. I think when you have an old building you are likely to run into some problems that you cannot foresee that are in behind the walls, but normally 5 per cent is enough to be able to cover off any of those problems that you would come across on a project of this nature.

CHAIR - Since Mr Hall has raised the matter of the finances, we have just had a document

circulated to us signed off by a group of architects. The total outcome there is $2.17 million or thereabouts, but the message that we have had from the Governor is that the project is authorised for $2.6 million in round figures. Can somebody explain to me what is happening there between those two figures?

Ms FOSTER - I can answer that. These costs are from the quantity surveyor on the

construction component. That relates directly to these costs in the commission brief. Where we have broken down, we talked about that contingency of 100. Those costs are directly comparable. And then in 3.3 in the commission brief we talk about a project budget which adds on other elements above construction contract, so we have an element of where we have to pay the architect so we have a fee component on top and on top of that we have an allowance for furniture and equipment. The school work with us and the architect to purchase relevant and contemporary furniture and equipment. We don't building a new space and put back the old square desk in that space.

Then there is the cost of the Art for Public Buildings Scheme. We have passed on

$40 000 to arts@work and they work with us to go with that artwork which is yet to be determined. I think the first meeting is on Tuesday. We work with Arts Tasmania to get that. That actua lly is the maximum. It is 2 per cent of the construction works.

Mrs NAPIER - Can you use student works as part of that? Ms FOSTER - No. The intent of the scheme is not for students but we can involve students

if the artist is willing, and that has happened a lot in the past. On a general rule of thumb, a contract would be around 80 per cent to 85 per cent of the total project. They soon all add up.

Mr CURRAN - Our construction budget that we are managing at the moment is $2.1 million

and after the figures came back from the quantity surveyor, the total was $2 170 500. We have a design contingency that is built in by the quantity surveyor as we go through the project and as we come to a stage where all the materials have been identified and basically the project has been bedded down, we are able to reduce that design contingency to a stage where all of those materials and items are now included in that figure. We have reduced that design contingency now to $27 000 which enables us to be back on the $2.1 million budget for construction.

PUBLIC WORKS, LAUNCESTON 17/11/05 (CURRAN/HOUSE/MILNE/FOSTER/ BODELL) 10

ASHLEY BODELL, GRADE 9 STUDENT, RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL, WAS CALLED, MADE THE STATUTORY DECLARATION AND WAS EXAMINED. CHAIR - Mrs Napier had a question about what the students think of the designs being proposed. Ms BODELL - At this start of this project Keely and I surveyed the students as to what they

would like. A lot of the students did want the larger learning spaces and the chance to work with other classes and have multi-purposes for all their rooms. So far Keely and I have been happy with what has happened, and we have gone back to our fellow students and peers and they have also been happy. We have updated them on what is happening and we are very happy with where it stands at the moment. It looks very promising and a great place for us to improve our learning and environment.

Mrs NAPIER - Excellent. CHAIR - Thanks very much, Ashley. You are welcome to stay there. In regard to page 3 of the submission, there is comment in the submission about

empowering schools to be flexible and to form genuine partnerships with their communities et cetera. Then it talks about school facilities having the potential to be a central focus for communities. I think the delegation before us today would be aware that there has been some comment by the West Tamar Council about the lack of, or perceived lack of consultation - whatever that may turn out to be, and we will hear from the council soon - can somebody explain to the committee what level of consultation there has been with the West Tamar Council, particularly with regard to what I will refer to as the gymnasium - it is a multiuse facility and a community facility and it was provided by substantial funds from the Lions Club and the West Tamar Council?

Ms FOSTER - I haven't been involved in the consultation but I will give an opening

paragraph and people can contribute. Initially the concept of touching that area that we are proposing for performing arts and the gym was not part of the program and the intent of the project. It came about, as Scott said, by going through the process of master planning and trying to get the areas that needed it to connect in the right places. The concept of adding to, doing any work or spending money in the gym was not originally there. It came out of working through.

The initial concepts of how that could happen were drawn up without consultation. They

were drawn up with ideas and a conceptual aspect to it. There was no consultation at that stage. The concept that that did work started to gain legs and develop into a project. When we became aware that we hadn't consulted and started that consultation phase, there was a community meeting about the proposal. I would ask someone else to comment on that meeting because I wasn't there.

Ms HOUSE - Various groups and stakeholders came to the meeting and plans were shared

by Lyle. There as general discussion about what was proposed. There were some concerns, mainly to do with storage of the church equipment. The church uses our community hall and they have equipment stored - you perhaps wouldn't have seen it because it is in a locked section of that large store. A question was raised about


community storage and we thought we would need to come back and have a look at that together at the next meeting, which we have not had the opportunity to hold yet because we have been getting ready for this process.

The other concern was in the management of the facility. At the moment it is being

managed by the West Tamar Council. We have approached by the council previously - about 19 June, I think it was - regarding the lease arrangements for that. That has been held over by the department until the outcome of this. There will need to be a new negotiation on the arrangements for the managing of that particular facility.

At the meeting on 19 June there was a feeling that the council didn't want to continue to

manage the facility, but I don't know that that is the case now. CHAIR - Has there been account taken during the construction phase of the challenges that

that might pose to the booking and so on? What provisions are there to ensure that there is a smooth flow of views?

Ms HOUSE - I have a fairly strong alliance with the basketball group that uses the

gymnasium and the plan would be to try to keep that, as much as we can, fully operational. As Scott pointed out, if the hall is done from the back forward people such as the tae kwon do group would still be able to use that part of the facility. There would come a time though when they could not but we would be looking to minimise that as much as possible. But until we get it approved, there are dates and you can actually lock together a schedule we are not able to say.

The peak time I know for the basketball group is at the beginning of the year because

that is the time when they are grading all of their teams and starting their initial training. It is not anticipated that that would interfere at the moment.

CHAIR - Can I make an observation and commend Scott on the architectural presentation. I

have been very impressed with what we have seen today in terms of the flexibility of your design. I have to say I am particularly impressed with what you intend as this new music area, which will be an extension to the gymnasium area. Architecturally I think it is going to enhance the school and I think that is particularly commendable. I was impressed to hear you say during your presentation that there is a capacity to link up a level of this new music area to the adjoining building. I did notice the mezzanine floor when we had the site visit this morning, so there seems to me to be a lot of flexibility to your design. From my personal perspective at least, I am impressed with the design that you have produced in terms of its flexibility and architectural content.

Mr CURRAN - Thank you. CHAIR - Okay. If we could ask you to make space at the table for the Mayor and Mr

Pearce, we will have the presentation by the council.

PUBLIC WORKS, LAUNCESTON 17/11/05 (EASTHER/PEARCE) 12

CR BARRY EASTER, MAYOR AND IAN PEARCE, GENERAL MANAGER, WEST TAMAR COUNCIL WERE CALLED, MADE THE STATUTORY DECLARATION AND WERE EXAMINED. CHAIR - Welcome gentlemen, and thank you for joining us on the tour this morning. As

you are aware we have had your written submission before us for some time. We have had the opportunity to read that and familiarise ourselves with the content so now we would like to hear from you in terms of your verbal follow-up to that written submission..

Mr EASTER - Thank you, Mr Chairman and members of the committee. I think firstly we

would also like to commend Scott and his firm for the tremendous work that they have done in the proposed redevelopment of the school. It is most apparent from our visit there today that there is a lot of work that needs to be done to bring this first-class academic high school up to a first-class standard as far as accommodation is concerned.

It would certainly be my hope that the State Government would set aside further funds in

future years to be spent at that facility. It is quite old and I was quite surprised just how old some of the areas are and there is a great need for redevelopment. But certainly West Tamar Council are very supportive of the proposed work going ahead and it is very apparent that every building on that site is needed for educational purposes. That obviously includes the hall and gymnasium that is currently a community facility presently managed by West Tamar Council.

The redevelopment of those areas is certainly going to enhance the areas for use by the

school and as a council , but it does present us with a few problems as far as management is concerned and the access for the community groups into the future.

Mr PEARCE - I suppose from our visit this morning, which was really very enlightening,

and from the comments I have heard made here this afternoon, I would like to say that it looks as though there are future needs there too and further upgrades are needed, and I think that is fairly obvious. Especially with growth in our area and especially around the Legana area, which is serviced by the Riverside High School, I would see that there is probably a need for future development and so I see a lot more development having to occur on that site.

I suppose from a council's point of view that then makes us look at our longer-term

planning and start to say, 'Okay, if this space is really needed by education and it is really for educational facilities, then how do we address the community needs? What are the facilities that we need to provide for our community?' It might not be obvious in the next probably up to three years but after that stage I think there is a need for a separate community facility to be developed by council somewhere within the Riverside area, simply because I see the pressure being applied for the educational facilities. I suppose that is one thing that worries me that we need to take that into account.

Mrs NAPIER - You raised some concerns that you would, I think, have preferred to have

been involved in some of the discussions earlier about what the proposed redevelopments were. Having had an opportunity to see the proposed redevelopments, would you have


preferred something to have been done differently in the context particularly of the community-based facilities - the halls?

Mr EASTHER - It is very difficult for me to make a comment. After our visit there this

morning, I can see the benefits for the use of those facilities from an educational point of view because that is what we are talking about today. As far as community use is concerned, it would have been an idea to have had the opportunity of involving people who use that facility and other community members to put forward their ideas. We have not had that opportunity so I can't really say, from a community perspective, whether or not the proposed redevelopments are satisfactory to the community and the users of that facility.

Mr PEARCE - I suppose I could have said yes, I would have preferred it, but once you look

there today, I don't think that we could have come up with anything better than what Scott has come up with and that is why we commend the work that he has done. I suppose it has made to us a little more obvious the fact that we do need to address it, though, in the medium to longer term.

Mr HALL - In the short term, Ian, I suppose you have that issue of management. There is

impasse there at the moment. How are you going to resolve that? Mr PEARCE - Probably the hardest component of that would be whilst the construction is

taking place and because the usage of the community centre component at the moment is about 70:30, I suppose, that is why we question why we get locked into the management of it, especially during that construction phase when the school are actually on site, they know exactly what is going on and it is difficult for us being external to that site, to know what is going on with construction et cetera. It is always us having to then chase up to try to find out what is going on - can people use certain parts of the facility - and then trying to reallocate them to certain areas. That is why we thought it would be better for the school to take over the management simply because they are on site, they know exactly what is happening and they have more control of the facility.

Mr HALL - I think the mayor mentioned earlier that the council may have to look at

providing a community centre totally outside the school facility. Mr PEARCE - Yes. Mr HALL - Would that impact, do you think, on the normal relationships between the school

and the community that happen in a lot of educational facilities now? Mr PEARCE - Again, I don't think it would impact on that negatively because I see that

there are probably opportunities where we can develop, even with other groups in our local area who are looking at developments, and I suppose just on the basis of what I have heard today about the facility being needed for educational reasons, I see that it is probably necessary for us to readdress how we do provide those facilities and whether it be in conjunction with the school on a smaller basis and with some other community organisations who are going to provide facilities, and then we probably have to provide some in our own right. So we are actually at the stage where we need to be doing some forward planning for probably the next 20 to 30 years. That has probably been a problem with local government in the past. They have probably looked five years or 10 years


ahead. We have recognised that problem and taken steps to start to address that. I suppose this one sneaked up on us, if you like. We were not aware that it was happening, not that I think that would have made any difference, but probably we would like to have had some more input.

CHAIR - Can I just observe that, from an overarching point of view, the short-term scope of

where you are at is a matter for the council and the school, and really does not impact on this committee.

Mr EASTHER - I thought you might say that, Mr Chairman.

PUBLIC WORKS, LAUNCESTON 17/11/05 (CATLIN) 15

LYLE CATLIN, FACILITIES SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WAS CALLED, MADE THE STATUTORY DECLARATION AND WAS EXAMINED. Mr CATLIN - Chairman, just a brief comment in regard to council. I do apologise that they

weren't included, because I guess that is my role to involve them, but when Michelle actually made contact with me we did that immediately.

Just a couple of things. First of all, we are aware of council's concerns. We intend to

invite them to our steering committee here on in so that they will know of the decanting process. They will have input into that decanting process, not only from the school's point of view but also from the wider community's point of view, so they will be very much aware in the future of exactly what is happening. So while they have that caretaker role of management, we will be putting things forward to Michelle, I suppose, who will be involved in that role of helping with the management.

CHAIR - Thanks Lyle, that is good clarification. We appreciate that. Mrs NAPIER - What is the normal protocol where a building has joint community/school

use, even though it is a school facility? What is the normal protocol of notification with councils?

Mr CATLIN - Normally, once we get involved in something that they own, then we would

bring them on board, and that is what we will do now. So that is the protocol, but we could have started earlier.

Mrs NAPIER - It seems to me that you have a number of school facilities that have council

involvement - the Scottsdale one is the latest - and I just wondered if there was a protocol by which the relevant council or community group would immediately be notified of even the thought of a redevelopment. It would be a good idea to have a protocol.

Mr CATLIN - Yes, we take your point. Thank you. Mr EASTHER - I was interested in the funding arrangements. I thought there was plenty of

money left over for one of the items in our submission, Mr Chairman. Mrs NAPIER - You are after $300 000, is it? Mr EASTHER - I think at some stage of the redevelopment of Riverside High School they

will need to seriously consider taking over those facilities entirely for school use. I think it is becoming very apparent and, as the general manager indicated, there is another group which is going ahead with the development. It is supposed to be finished in about 18 months. They have not started it yet, but that will have some community access available and we will certainly be looking at that. We will also be involving ourselves in a local area plan for Legana, which is a quickly growing area, and certainly community facilities will be required there. They may be able to be located in a place where they can be accessed easily by people from Riverside as well as Legana. I don't have anything else, thank you.


CHAIR - We are about done, folks, so we will need to deliberate on this project. Thanks again for being with us.

THE WITNESSES WITHDREW.

Riverside High School Development 17Nov05

Documents

Transcript of Riverside High School Development 17Nov05